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FineFix, Maryland’s uninsured motorist fine forgiveness program, officially ended July 31.

The FineFix program was a partnership between the Uninsured Division of Maryland Auto Insurance and the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA), and was executed in cooperation with the Maryland Department of Budget and Management’s Central Collections Unit (CCU).

The program launched in September 2019, and gave eligible Marylanders the opportunity to pay 20% of their outstanding uninsured motorist fines and have the remaining 80% forgiven. This eliminated a significant hurdle to registering and insuring their vehicles, and ultimately reduced the number of uninsured vehicles on Maryland roads.

Over the course of two years, nearly 20,000 program participants have paid in full and completed the FineFix program. This has resulted in more than $30 million dollars in fines being forgiven across the state of Maryland. As fines were cleared and drivers regained the ability to register their were so overwhelming she never thought she’d be able to pay them off or drive again. Last month, through tears of joy, she made her

“This program was created to aid Maryland residents in removing financial barriers from registering and insuring vehicles,” — Al Redmer Jr.

vehicles, more than 1,200 drivers obtained auto insurance policies through Maryland Auto and other carriers.

“This program was created to aid Maryland residents in removing financial barriers from registering and insuring vehicles,” said Maryland Auto Executive Director Al Redmer Jr. “Additionally, FineFix was intended to facilitate economic growth for the state of Maryland and allow participants to take advantage of all available employment opportunities and fully engage in our economy.

“One recent FineFix participant let us know that her fines final FineFix payment, completing the program. She has already bought a car and registered and insured it.”

The program was initially intended to end in mid-2020. However, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and Maryland’s state of emergency, the Uninsured Division of Maryland Auto Insurance paused the program in April 2020, in order to provide additional financial relief to enrolled participants. In April of 2021, the FineFix program resumed and set an end date of July 31.

Source: Maryland Auto Mercury Insurance is ranked No. 1 among insurers for overall satisfaction in the shopping segment of the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Digital Experience Study.

This marks the first time Mercury has received a J.D. Power award.

The study, which evaluates digital consumer experiences among P&C insurance shoppers seeking quotes and existing customers conducting typical policy-servicing activities, examines functional aspects of desktop, mobile web and mobile apps based on five factors: ease of navigation, appearance, availability of key information, range of services and clarity of the information.

The study was conducted in partnership with Corporate Insight, and is based on 11,548 evaluations fielded in February and March.

Mercury Insurance provides auto, homeowners and business insurance in 11 states.

Source: Mercury Insurance

NJ Governor Declares State of Emergency After Tropical Storm Ida

by Todd DeFeo, The Center Square

Gov. Phil Murphy has declared a state of emergency for all 21 New Jersey counties in response to Tropical Storm Ida.

“Tropical Storm Ida is severely impacting all areas of our state,” Murphy said in a statement. “The safety of our residents is our main priority, and we urge everyone to be informed of local weather conditions and to stay off the roads.”

Signing Executive Order No. 259 allows state resources to be deployed throughout New Jersey.

According to the New York Post, more than 63,000 homes in New Jersey lost power, mainly in the northern portion of the state. Three people were killed in New Jersey, including a 70-year-old man in Passaic, and two others were believed to be swept away by floodwaters, WABC-TV reported.

Various reports indicated several tornadoes touched down in the state, including in Harrison Township.

“Just spoke with Harrison Township Mayor Lou Manzo about the devastating tornado that ripped through the Mullica Hill community and surrounding area tonight,” Murphy said in a tweet. “We’re closely monitoring the situation and will do whatever is needed to support the response & recovery in the days ahead.”

The storm interrupted NJ Transit service, and the New Jersey State Police and the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) urged New Jerseyans to stay home Sept. 2, with many roads across the state closed. Additionally, state offices opened three hours late Sept. 2.

“NJDOT Crews and emergency personnel have been working through [the] night, and will continue to do so, to get roads clear and open,” NJDOT said in a tweet. “Please stay off the roads so they can do their job safely.”

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